Department for Transport

Aviation

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many commercial flights have (1) taken off, and (2) landed, in the UK each day from 23 March to 16 July.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Department for Transport does not currently hold complete official statistics on commercial flight operations for the period requested. Data on the operation of commercial flights in the UK is collected by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and received from UK airports typically up to two months after the end of each month in adherence to statistical regulation (EC) 437/2003 on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of passengers, freight and mail by air. As indicated on the CAA’s website, some airports have not yet reported data, which prevents the full UK picture being established. Monitoring of flight traffic conducted by Eurocontrol, which publicly reports on daily flight traffic levels across its member states on their website, can be used to identify the overall number of flights operated in the UK each day since 1 March 2020, and includes both commercial and non-commercial operations for international arrival, departure and domestic flights.

Northern Trains: Fares

baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they haveto allow off-peak tickets on Northern Rail services into Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford or Manchester to be used between 4.00pm and 6.30pm.

baroness vere of norbiton: There are no planned changes to Northern’s off-peak travel requirements. In the current COVID-19 crisis, Northern has prioritised running a service for customers that is both resilient and reliable, rather than ramping up services too quickly or introducing measures that may lead to increased passenger demand and thereby exceed restrictions on social distancing.

Shipping: Coronavirus

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 20 July (HL6506), what is the median length of time that foreign national crew have spent stranded in UK ports; what is the cost of the repatriation programme; and whether they claim back the costs of repatriation from ship owners.

baroness vere of norbiton: We do not have median figures. The Department began work on facilitating repatriation 90 days ago (as at 29 July). At that time there were 11,374 crew in the UK. To date we have facilitated the repatriation of over 13,000 seafarers and there are currently 4,258 awaiting repatriation. Many vessels arriving in the UK are able to repatriate large numbers of seafarers over the 2-3 days after arrival. However, for seafarers from certain countries the length of time in the UK will be longer due to restrictions in their own state. It should also be noted that seafarers arriving in the UK may still be under their original contract and, outside the pandemic conditions, would not be due to be repatriated. The cost of repatriation is met by the shipping company and not by the Government.

Cycling: Accidents

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many accidents in England involving (1) pedestrians, (2) motor vehicles, and (3) other cyclists, have been caused by cyclists using mobile phones while cycling (a) in the past 12 months, and (b) in the past five years.

baroness vere of norbiton: The number of accidents involving where the contributory factor ‘Driver using mobile phone’ was allocated to a pedal cyclist, by road user involved, in England, between 2013 and 2018 can be found in the below table. 2018 is the latest year for which data is available. Contributory factors assigned by police officers do not assign blame for the accident to any specific road user, however they do provide some insight into why and how road accidents occur. They give an indication of which factors the attending officer thought contributed to the accident. Officers do not need to carry out a full investigation of the incident before allocating contributory factors; they usually use professional judgement about what they can see at the scene. Not all accidents are included in the contributory factor data; only accidents where the police attended the scene and reported at least one contributory factor are included.Reported road accidents where the contributory factor (CF)1 of 'driver using a mobile phone' was assigned to a pedal cyclist, by road user involved, England, 2013-2018 Accidents involving road user201320142015201620172018Injured pedestrian100111Motor vehicle12131013128Other pedal cyclist (not allocated with CF)110000Source: DfT, STATS191 Includes only accidents where a police officer attended the scene and in which a contributory factor was reported.

Northern Transport Acceleration Council

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the membership of the Northern Transport Acceleration Council; what powers and role that Council will possess; what is its operational budget; how often it will meet; and whether its meetings and papers will be publicly accessible.

baroness vere of norbiton: The membership of the Northern Transport Acceleration Council will comprise key leaders from across the North, including Mayors and council leaders and will be chaired by the Secretary of State. The Council will give leaders from the North direct access to Ministers to discuss priority transport projects and make sure they are being progressed at pace, providing a mechanism for speeding up decision making. The Council’s first meeting is expected to take place in September when the details of its role and working arrangements will be agreed.

Northern Transport Acceleration Council: Transport for the North

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultation took place with Transport for the North about the establishment of the Northern Transport Acceleration Council; what the relationship between Transport for the North and the Northern Transport Acceleration Council will be; and whether members of the Northern Transport Acceleration Council will also sit on the board of Transport for the North.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Secretary of State and his Ministers consulted with the Mayors and Council Leaders in the North, who are Transport for the North members, prior to the establishment of the Northern Transport Acceleration Council. The membership of the Northern Council will comprise key leaders from across the North, including Mayors and Council Leaders and will be chaired by the Secretary of State. The Transport for the North Board will continue its role of bringing together Northern stakeholders and developing strategic transport advice for the Secretary of State.

Bus Services and Trams: Coronavirus

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 22 July (HL6684), what additional funding they intend to provide to support bus and tram services outside of London once the current COVID-19-related funding expires on 4 August; and when they intend to announce the arrangements for any such funding.

baroness vere of norbiton: Officials are engaging with HMT on the future of emergency funding for the bus and light rail sectors, as a matter of the highest priority. The department will be in contact with operators as soon as we are in a position to update them.

Bus Services and Trams: Coronavirus

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have toprovide long-term financial support to bus, coach and tram services outside of London whilst there is reduced capacity and demand for public transport due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and how any such funding will bedispersed.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Department continues to work closely with transport authorities and operators to understand the risks and ongoing issues in the bus and coach industry and how these can be addressed, so that public transport services can adapt to any ‘new normal’ that emerges from the COVID-19 outbreak and work towards a sustainable long-term recovery. The Department is engaging with HMT on the future of emergency funding for the bus and light rail sectors as a matter of the highest priority. My department will be in contact with operators as soon as we are in a position to update them. We are continuing to engage with the coach sector to understand what the ongoing risks and issues are, and how these could be addressed.

A27: East Sussex

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 21 July (HL6569), how Highways England was able to determine three possible new routes for the A27 between Polegate and Lewes before completingconsideration of (1) environmental impacts, and (2) the impact on the towns and communities at the two endpoints of these routes.

baroness vere of norbiton: The “A27 East of Lewes Off-line Study” represents an early stage of work to evaluate the need or otherwise for an enhancement of the A27 off the existing line of route. The study uses three different alignments for modelling purposes only. Development of specific route options and a detailed assessment of their benefits and costs, including environmental impacts, would follow at a later stage of work.

Aviation: Coronavirus

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further (1) to the statement by the Airport Operators Association that airports may have lost at least £4 billion in revenue by the end of 2020, and (2) thejob losses in the aviation sector, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, what steps they are taking to assist financially the aviation industry. [T]

baroness vere of norbiton: The Government recognises the challenging times facing the aviation sector as a result of COVID-19. The aviation sector is crucial to the UK’s economy and businesses across the industry will be able to draw on the unprecedented package of economic measures we have put in place during this time. This includes a Bank of England scheme for firms to raise capital and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme which facilitates access to finance for businesses affected by the outbreak. Firms are also able to access ‘Time to Pay’ scheme which eases restrictions with tax bills and VAT deferrals. The Government is also ensuring financial support for employees through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme covering 80% of furloughed employees’ usual monthly wage costs, up to £2,500 a month, alongside the associated Employer National Insurance contributions and pension contributions. The Department is in close contact with the aviation sector ensuring that the Government is kept fully aware of the latest developments with all firms and to understand where additional policy measures may be useful and to address specific industry issues. The Department has established a Restart and Recovery Unit for aviation. The unit will immediately focus on restart, in particular:Examining new standards on health and wellbeing across the customer journey;Measures needed to sustain and boost the sector;Ensuring new standards are established at an international level; andEngagement with the sector to ensure the proposals developed are fit for purpose. The unit will also focus on establishing a clear vision and objectives for the sector looking forward to the recovery phase. We are working closely with the aviation sector to support it to ensure there is sufficient capacity to protect global travel routes, continue repatriation, freight and maintain vital connectivity.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Wendover

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a full and independent engineering review has been carried out to assess the (1) construction, and (2) whole life costs, of the (a) Wendover Short Mined Tunnel proposal, and (b) current HS2 Phase One above surface route proposals at Wendover.

baroness vere of norbiton: I refer to my answer to Lord Berkeley’s question on 30 June. In spring 2018, the Department instructed KPMG to undertake an independent review of the presented options for the Wendover area, both from HS2 Ltd (surface route) and from mbpc Ltd (mined tunnel proposal). The Department asked the review to examine and consider both options, including a comparative assessment of their relative cost, schedule and constructability. The review did not consider whole life costs.

Speed Limits

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any consultation took place with (1) the Health and Safety Executive, and (2) the Office for Rail and Road, before the decision was made to increase the basic speed limit at which motorists can drive through roadworks; and what assessment they have made of the ability to enforce speed limits at such sites.

baroness vere of norbiton: Whilst no specific consultation took place with the Health and Safety Executive, Highways England did engage throughout the trials with the Office for Rail and Road (ORR) to update them on the progress and outputs of the trials. The enforcement of speed limits will be undertaken in the same way any speed limit through roadworks is enforced, by using average speed camera systems.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Coronavirus: Clinical Trials

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for early human challenge trials to assist with the development of a COVID-19 vaccine.

lord callanan: The Vaccine Taskforce fully recognises the importance of effective clinical trials to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of potential vaccines. The case for early human challenge studies is under constant review and we are working at pace to develop a vaccine as quickly as possible.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review internal advice on personal protective equipment given to NHS doctors; and what steps they are taking to ensure that medical staff swabbing patients for COVID-19have filtering facepiece 3 respirators.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet PPE - note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library.



PPE information factsheet
(PDF Document, 128.6 KB)

Coronavirus: Disease Control

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government to what extent they assess the effective reproduction number ofCOVID-19 for populations other than that of the UK as a whole; and, what was theeffective reproduction number for respectively (1) England, (2) Wales, (3) Northern Ireland, and (4) Scotland, for the latest date when all four figures are available.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Science of Covid-19 note for House of Lords, which is attached due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library.



Science of COVID-19 information factsheet
(PDF Document, 151.79 KB)

Protective Clothing

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken and are taking, if any, to produce personal protection equipment forall non-NHS workers who cannot work from home in the UK.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet PPE - note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library.



PPE information factsheet
(PDF Document, 128.6 KB)

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that sufficient personal protective equipment is available for purchase by the general public.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet PPE - note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library.



PPE information factsheet
(PDF Document, 128.6 KB)

Dental Services: Protective Clothing

lord redesdale: To ask Her Majesty's Government which regulatory body or Department is responsible for approving personal protective equipment specifically for the practice of dentistry.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet PPE - note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library.



PPE information factsheet
(PDF Document, 128.6 KB)

Protective Clothing: Manufacturing Industries

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in processing offers from UK manufacturers to produce personal protective equipment.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet PPE - note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library.



PPE information factsheet
(PDF Document, 128.6 KB)

Disease Control

baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce dedicated periods of time where those whoare shielding from COVID-19 can safely use the extra freedoms being introduced from the reduction of the restrictions in place to address the pandemic. [T]

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Science of Covid-19 note for House of Lords, which is attached due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library.



Science of COVID-19 information factsheet
(PDF Document, 151.79 KB)

Dental Services: Protective Clothing

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the additional costs imposed on dental surgeries that will need to purchase personal protective equipment in order to reopen.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the NHS will cover the additional costs imposed on dental surgeries that will need to purchase personal protective equipment in order to reopen, for (1) NHS practices, and (2) mixed NHS and private practices.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support is available to dental surgeries to offset any additional costs of personal protective equipment, and to compensate for reduced patient numbers following the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet PPE - note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library.



PPE information factsheet
(PDF Document, 128.6 KB)

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the supply chain is sufficiently robust enough for non-medical face coverings in the UK.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet PPE - note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library.



PPE information factsheet
(PDF Document, 128.6 KB)

Dental Services: Protective Clothing

baroness harris of richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment the Chief Dental Officer for England made of the adequacy of personal protective equipment supplies for dental practitioners before dental practices were closed due to COVID-19.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet PPE - note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library.



PPE information factsheet
(PDF Document, 128.6 KB)

Department for International Development

Overseas Aid

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the letter from the First Secretary of State to the Chair of the House of Commons International Development Committee on 22 July, whether the decision to reduce the international aid budget by £2.9 billion this year will affect their commitment to maintain the international aid budget at 0.7per cent of Gross National Income when the Department for International Development is merged with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

baroness sugg: This Government is committed to spending 0.7% of GNI on Official Development Assistance which is enshrined in law. The future funding of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will be subject to the conclusions of the upcoming Integrated Review and the Spending Review.

Overseas Aid

baroness goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their announcement that they have identified a £2.9 billion package of reductions in their planned Official Development Assistance spend, what plans they have to publish abreakdown of those reductions, including (1) underspends, (2) activity delays, and (3) spending cancellations.

baroness sugg: Revised ODA allocations for 2020/21 will be published by HM Treasury at Autumn Budget, and the Statistics for International Development published in 2021 will provide a full breakdown of the UK’s ODA spend for 2020. Currently we are discussing specific savings with suppliers and partners and we will publish the revised ODA allocations in due course after this process has been completed.

Overseas Aid

baroness goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their announcement that they have identified a £2.9 billion package of reductions in their planned Official Development Assistance (ODA) spend, what plans they have to publish the arrangements in place to reduce ODA spending in 2020.

baroness sugg: Revised ODA allocations for 2020/21 will be published by HM Treasury at Autumn Budget, and the Statistics for International Development published in 2021 will provide a full breakdown of the UK’s ODA spend for 2020. Currently we are discussing specific savings with suppliers and partners and we will publish the revised ODA allocations in due course after this process has been completed.

Overseas Aid

baroness goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their announcement that they have identified a £2.9 billion package of reductions in their planned Official Development Assistance (ODA) spend, by what process they came to their decision to reduce their planned ODA spend.

baroness sugg: The First Secretary of State, supported by the International Development Secretary and ministers from ODA spending departments, led a cross government review to identify reductions in this year’s ODA budget needed to meet the 0.7% commitment. The careful review process looked at every strand of the ODA budget and assess the impacts of spend. Several review sessions were held in which Ministers prioritised programmes based on strategic objectives such as poverty reduction for the ‘bottom billion’, tackling climate change and reversing biodiversity loss, championing girls’ education, and the global response to Covid-19.

Overseas Aid

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what savings will make up the £2.9 billion package of reductions to the Government’s planned Official Development Assistance spend for 2020 announced by the First Secretary of State on 22 July, including (1) forecast underspends, (2) delays to planned activity, and (3) cancellation of planned spending.

baroness sugg: The First Secretary led a careful review process to look at every strand of the ODA budget and assess the impacts of spend. Ministers prioritised programmes based on strategic objectives such as poverty reduction for the ‘bottom billion’, tackling climate change and reversing biodiversity loss, championing girls’ education, and the global response to Covid-19. Currently we are discussing specific savings with suppliers and partners and we will publish the revised ODA allocations in due course after this process has been completed.

Overseas Aid

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government by what process they reached decisions on the £2.9 billion package of reductions to the Government’s planned Official Development Assistance spend for 2020 announced by the First Secretary of State on 22 July.

baroness sugg: The First Secretary of State, supported by the International Development Secretary and ministers from ODA spending departments, led a cross government review to identify reductions in this year’s ODA budget needed to meet the 0.7% commitment. The careful review process looked at every strand of the ODA budget and assess the impacts of spend. Several review sessions were held in which Ministers prioritised programmes based on strategic objectives such as poverty reduction for the ‘bottom billion’, tackling climate change and reversing biodiversity loss, championing girls’ education, and the global response to Covid-19.

Overseas Aid: Poverty

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that cuts made as part of the £2.9 billion package of reductions to the Government’s planned Official Development Assistance spend for 2020 announced by the First Secretary of State on 22 July will focus on programmes that have been found to be less effective in achieving poverty reduction.

baroness sugg: The First Secretary led a careful review process to look at every strand of the ODA budget and assess the impacts of spend. ODA spend for 2020 was prioritised to focus on key strategic objectives including poverty reduction for the ‘bottom billion’, tackling climate change and reversing biodiversity loss, championing girls’ education, UK leadership in the global response to Covid-19, and protecting the UK’s science base. These priorities will help the government to deliver our manifesto commitments and ensure that the UK is a global force for good.

Australian Aid and Canadian International Development Agency

lord chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of international standing and influence of (1) the Canadian International Development Agency, following its merger with the Canadian Department of International Affairs and Trade, and (2) Australian Aid, following its merger into the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

baroness sugg: We will learn from the examples of Australia and Canada, who run generous and respected development programmes from their foreign ministries. There are lessons we can draw from the experiences of other countries, but we will do this in a way that works best for the UK.

Department for Education

Apprentices

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to increase the provision of apprenticeships.

baroness berridge: As part of the government’s Plan for Jobs, apprenticeships will be more important than ever in helping businesses to recruit the right people and develop the skills they need to recover post COVID-19. Apprenticeships also present excellent opportunities to young people seeking to start and build careers.We recognise that employers, at the moment, face increased challenges with hiring new apprentices and so we will introduce a new payment of £2,000 to employers in England for each new apprentice they hire aged under 25, and a £1,500 payment for each new apprentice they hire aged 25 and over, from 1 August 2020 to 31 January 2021. We will also ensure that there is sufficient funding to support small businesses wanting to take on an apprentice this year. In addition, we have increased the number of reservations that small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) can now make through the apprenticeship service, from 3 to 10, enabling them to recruit more apprentices.Details can be found at the link below: https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/a-plan-for-jobs-2020.We continue to listen to the views of businesses and are working closely with employers to help them make the most of our apprenticeship reforms and funding support offer.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Roma Holocaust Memorial Day

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to mark Roma Holocaust Memorial Day on 2 August.

lord greenhalgh: Every year we honour the memory of the Roma and Sinti population murdered by the Nazi's at the annual Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations on 27 January. The 2nd of August marks the liquidation of the Gypsy Family camp' at Auschwitz-Birkenau and this year due to the restrictions on gatherings brought about by the Covid -19 pandemic we will be honouring the memory of the Roma and Sinti men, women and children murdered by the Nazi's on social media.

Change of Use

baroness thornhill: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on affordable housing provision of permitted development rules on the conversion of buildings into homes; and what plans they have to review these rules in response to any emerging evidence indicating a detrimental impact on affordable housing.

baroness thornhill: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the quality of homes resulting from permitted development rights to convert offices to residential use.

baroness thornhill: To ask Her Majesty's Government when their review of permitted development rights for the conversion of buildings to residential use in respect of the quality standard of homes delivered will be published.

baroness thornhill: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many homes resulting from permitted development rights meet their nationally described space standard.

baroness thornhill: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compatibility of the expansion in permitted development rights with the integrity of the locally led planning system.

lord greenhalgh: Permitted development rights for change of use to residential are making an important contribution to housing delivery, largely providing windfall housing that may otherwise not have been delivered through the planning system. The rights make effective use of existing buildings and help boost housing density, as part of our broader housing ambitions, without the need to build on greenfield sites.In response to concerns raised in respect of the quality of some of the homes delivered through permitted development rights we now require adequate natural light to be provided in habitable rooms. The independent research informing our review has been published and is available at the following (attached) link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/quality-standard-of-homes-delivered-through-change-of-use-permitted-development-rights



permitted development rights
(PDF Document, 5.14 MB)

Property Development: Isle of Dogs

lord strasburger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government sought advice from officials as to whether the Westferry Printworks scheme would proceed if the Community Infrastructure Levy was applied to it; and, if so, what advice he received on this matter.

lord greenhalgh: All the advice requested and received from officials on this case, other than personal information and that subject to legal professional privilege, was placed on gov.uk and in the Libraries of the House. The Planning Inspector’s report noted that if the decision was taken after the adoption of the new Local Plan and CIL schedule, the viability of the scheme might be compromised.

Housing: Construction

baroness thornhill: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of their First Homes policy for the locally led planning system in respect of addressing local housing needs.

lord greenhalgh: The Government is committed to making the dream of home ownership a reality for everyone. Affordability is the biggest barrier to home ownership, and while this is partly due to a shortage of housing supply, low interest rates and high rents have limited the ability for young people to save the deposit they need to buy a home. We believe that First Homes are a key means of helping local people, especially young first-time buyers, into home ownership and maintaining strong communities.It is for local authorities to determine how and where to best deliver their housing needs, and as we set out in our consultation on First Homes, which ran between February and May this year, we are supportive of empowering local decision-makers and conscious of reducing discretion to respond to local circumstances. Our response to this consultation, which will be published in due course, will provide further detail on this.

Department for Work and Pensions

Immigration: EU Nationals

lord bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the provisions of clause 5 of the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Billare planned to enable Ministers to make regulations which couldresult inEU citizenswithEU settled status receiving less favourable social security benefits thanUK citizens.

baroness stedman-scott: The Withdrawal Agreement protects the rights of EU citizens living in the UK and UK nationals living in the EU by the end of the transition period. The Government has been clear that changes made by regulations under Clause 5 of the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination Bill cannot be used to remove rights guaranteed under the Withdrawal Agreement.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the environmental impact of the disposal of single-use face masks once the wearing of face coverings in shops is made compulsory on 24 July.

lord goldsmith of richmond park: We have not carried out an assessment on the environmental impact of the disposal of single-use face masks. Waste management, including disposal, is regulated through the environmental permitting system in England, which seeks to protect the environment and human health. Face coverings that will be required in shops are not the same as the single-use surgical masks or respirators used by healthcare and other workers as part of their PPE. These should continue to be reserved for those who need them to protect against risks in their workplace. Instead, the latest Government advice on face coverings provides instructions on how people can make and care for reusable face coverings at home using scarves or other washable textiles, and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering. Reusable cloth face coverings are also available to buy from a wide range of retail outlets, including online. The Government has published guidance on the disposal of face coverings and other PPE during the coronavirus pandemic. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-disposing-of-waste

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Broadband: Religious Buildings

baroness armstrong of hill top: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with churches and faith communities about the difficulties of obtaining broadband access for places of worship which do not have a postcode; and what plans they have to arrangea debate on this issue inthe House.

baroness barran: The Government has been in discussion with representatives from the Church of England, in particular, regarding the issue of broadband access where places of worship do not have postcodes, or are otherwise missing from telecom provider databases. In some cases this leads to issues in identifying and providing service to such locations. Over 31,000 premises are listed in relevant databases accessible to the Government as being used as places of worship. Of these, approximately 86% of premises used for religious purposes in Great Britain can access Superfast broadband speeds or better on fixed networks, compared to the UK average of 95%. Approximately 4% of premises used for religious purposes in Great Britain cannot access ‘decent broadband’ speeds of 10 Megabit/s on Fixed networks, compared to the UK average of 2%, largely due to their rurality. However, 4G data services are also widely available, and this reduces the number of such listed places of worship with no potential service to less than 0.2% of the total. We are working with relevant stakeholders, including telecom operators (such as Openreach) and Ofcom, to ascertain the extent of this problem, and how many religious premises are still facing these barriers. This includes whether data used by operators is consistent with that available to the Government and to identify appropriate solutions, including ensuring that databases are up to date, but also that all broadband technology solutions that are available to places of worship are considered. Therefore, there are no current plans to debate the matter in the House. We understand the importance for broadband access in places of worship to help improve connectivity for local communities, as well as practical benefits for such premises, including streaming services, security, and accepting contactless donations or administration.

Telecommunications: EU Law

lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to maintain the European Electronic Communications Code beyond the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December; and, if they intend to maintain the Code, what assessment they have made of its impact on the use of digital technologies designed to detect and prevent online harms against children.

baroness barran: Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, it is a legal requirement to implement the European Electronic Communications Code Directive (EECC) by 21 December 2020. The Government's approach to implementing the Directive was published at gov.uk on 22 July (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/implementing-the-european-electronic-communications-code), and was laid in the House of Lords Library on the same date. Amendments made in UK legislation to implement the Directive will be retained after 31 December, save for limited instances where corrections are required to reflect the UK’s exit from the European Union. The Directive is infrastructure focused and does not include measures relating to the regulation of content, and our transposition approach as set out does not impinge on online harms.

Women and Equalities

Gay Conversion Therapy

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their proposed ban on same sex attraction therapy will include a prohibition on talking therapy.

baroness berridge: The Government takes this issue of Conversion Therapy very seriously and fundamentally disagrees with attempts to forcibly change someone’s sexuality. In order to end conversion therapy practice for good, we are thoroughly considering all legislative and non-legislative options.My officials are reviewing the current legislative framework to see how certain harmful and abhorrent practices referred to as conversion therapy may already be captured by existing laws and offences. Where these practices are already unlawful, we will ensure that the law is clear, well-understood and enforced. Where dangerous conversion therapy practices are not already unlawful, we are examining the best ways to prevent them being conducted, without sending them underground.